Self-employed women's rights proposals a solid basis for further struggle
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Welcoming proposals to ensure that Member States grant equal maternity leave and social protection rights to self-employed women and spouses or life partners of the self-employed, Swedish GUE/NGL MEP and Chair of Parliament's Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee, Eva-Britt Svensson, said the revision of existing legislation was necessary to combat the discrimination faced by self-employed women.
"Given the EU2020 strategy aim to boost growth in the EU, self-employed women must not be deprived of the right to parental leave. Our group supports this report's proposals, especially concerning measures to improve the reconciliation of work and family life."
Portuguese MEP Ilda Figueiredo said that while the report served as a good basis for future struggles in the field of equality, it did "not go all the way".
"This directive is moving in the right direction but we do not think 14 weeks maternity leave is enough and we will continue to push for the new directive on parental leave to apply to the self-employed."
The Lulling report "Equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity" will be put to the vote on Tuesday.
GUE/NGL PRESS:
David Lundy + 32 485 50 58 12
Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 64 66 28
Sonja Giese + 32 486 94 50 21